Left to boycott Obama's visit: Narayana

The Communist Party of India state general secretary K Narayana on Tuesday stated that the Left parties would boycott the visit of United States President Barack Obama. Mr Obama is due to land in India on November 8.

Talking to media persons after participating in a programme at Pedavadlipudi in Mangalagiri mandal, the veteran Left leader said the US President’s visit would not be beneficial for India’s interests.

“The US is aggressively pressurising the government to adopt economic policies which are detrimental to people in the name of a strategic alliance," Mr Narayana said.

The senior Communist leader also demanded the scrapping of the Indo-US Defence Framework Agreement. He argued that the Agreement is an attempt to convert India into a military ally of the US. Mr Narayana also said that the US must first stop pressurising India to give up liability claims on its nuclear suppliers.

The CPI leader also advised the US that it should stop pressurising India to toe its line on the foreign policy and open up agriculture, retail trade, education and other services for American capital and multinational companies.

He said party activists would stage protests against the United States President’s visit on November 9 across India.